Darkness
by Jin47
Summary: Something is wrong with Merrick and the Rangers are shocked, when he even tries to kill his beloved Princess...


I am a huge Power Rangers fan and I was rewatching Wild Force, when this story crossed my mind...I hope you will like it :)

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\- Chapter 1 -

Merrick worked at Willie's Roadhouse when the wild force rangers entered and saw him swiping the tables.

„Merrick, we need to talk to you", Cole said and crossed his armes above his chest.

Merrick didn't look up from his work, nor greeted them.

„It's about Princess Shayla."

„What about her?", Merrick said, still swiping the floor.

„Why don't you stay with her to protect her?", Danny asked.

„Because…I just can't…", Merrick answered.

„Why can't you?", Danny asked

„Because I can't, okay! So stop bothering me! Don't you have anyone else you can bother?!"

„Why can't you just admit that you have feelings for her?" Taylor asked angrily.

Merrick didn't reply.

„I guess we can take your silence for a yes", she said after a few moments of silence.

„Merrick, what if I told you that by keeping your distance from her, physically and emotionally you are hurting her worse than Master Org ever could?", Danny said.

„By taking my distance I'm not hurting her", Merrick insisted. „I'm protecting her."

„If it is so impossible…then why was it, when we left the Animarium, she was crying?", Cole asked.

„She was _what_?", Merrick asked with shock in his eyes.

„She was crying, Merrick, what happened?"

Merrick put away the lobe and looked at his hands.

„We had an argument today…she said that she wanted me to stay with her…but I can't do that…"

„It seems like you still don't get it, do you?" Taylor's voice grew louder. At this moment she didn't care, that Willie could hear them. „You hurt her even more with your words, than Master Org could ever do!"

„Merrick, Princess Shayla loves you, we all can see that and you love her too. Is it really so hard, to let her know that?" Danny asked.

Merrick took a few steps back. They were right, completely right. He shouldn't keep his distance from her, but he still didn't want something bad happen to her.

„I am only supposed to protect her…", he tried again, but was interrupted by the bison Ranger.

„And love will make you want to protect her even more."

„But-…"

„You know what?! I'm really getting tired of you making excuses! What if I told you that, Princess Shayla was injured when we fought against Putrids the other day?" Taylor interrupted sharply.

Merrick looked at her in shock. „What? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

„Because you walk away right after the battle ends and we go back to Princess Shayla."

Merrick took a deep breath and the Rangers thought he would go with them to the Princess, but he took the lobe and went to another table and started swiping. „I won't come with you guys, I'm sorry."

Taylor already took a step forward, ready to give him the beating he deserved, but was held back by Danny, who shook his head in silence.

„You know what Merrick?" She asked. „If I were the Princess and would know that you would treat me like that, I would have never wanted to meet you in the first place."

With that being said, she turned around, as she saw no reaction from him. Cole and the others looked at him with sadness in their eyes. They knew how much their Princess loved Merrick, but to see that he didn't want to visit her, really hurt them. Then they followed the yellow Ranger out of the road house.

„You really don't want to go to your friend?", Willie asked after they left.

Merrick stopped with his doing and looked at his boss, even though he thought of him as a friend, because he gave him a home and food.

„No, it would make it only worse, if I'd show up", he answered.

Willie stopped drying the glasses he just had washed and looked at him. Merrick had the odd feeling that the old man was staring right into his heart. „You know kid", he said. „I was just as young as you are now."

Merrick smirked slightly, when he recalled that he was actually over three thousand years old, but didn't mention it.

„I was in love. In love with the most beautiful woman this planet had ever seen. I kept away and watched her from afar, never told her my feelings and one day, when I finally had the courage and chance to tell her how I felt…" He left the sentence unfinished and looked at the glasses.

„What did you do?" Merrick asked curious.

„I was leaning against a tree, when I saw a young man approaching her, kissing her and that was the moment, I regretted the time when I was too afraid of telling her how I felt." Willie looked up, straight into Merrick's eyes. „You never know, when the right time is to tell a girl or woman how you feel. But I know one thing about you, Merrick and that, is that this woman loves you deeply and if I'm not mistaken, you love her too…so you better get to her or else I throw you out of this house like you did with these mad mens, you understand?"

Merrick smiled. „I understand and thanks, my friend."

Willie smiled back at him. „Now go, kid."

Merrick nodded and left the shop, running towards the Animarium.

He saw Shayla sitting on a stone and heard soft sobs…Cole had told him the truth. His Princess, whom he swore to protect from everything in the world, was crying…the sound broke his heart. Then he saw a bandage through the fabric of her sleeve supporting Taylor's story about the attack of the Putrids.

„Princess…", Merrick said with a low voice, trying not to scare her.

Shayla lifted her head and turned to see him standing nearby.

„Why are you here?", she asked and stood up from the stone.

„I'm here to say…that I'm sorry…I was being an idiot, not thinking about my actions and what they would do to you." Merrick sighed and approached her.

Shayla was surprised when he turned her around, to look him in the eyes.

„What made you change your mind?", she asked.

„Let's just say, I have a good friend who gave me a real good advice."

The Princess smiled at him warmly.

Merrick chuckled slightly, when he saw her warm smile, even after he hurt her with his words and hugged her. She returned Merrick's embrace and felt protected, from all the evil things in this world.

„I love you, Princess", Merrick whispered in her ear.

„I love you too, Merrick."

Merrick and Shayla kissed passionately, but were abruptly interrupted, when the fountain started to bubble.


End file.
